Coupling device and flat panel display device utilizing the same

ABSTRACT

A coupling device includes a mounting frame mounted on a rear surface of a front shell of a display housing and having a plate portion disposed adjacent to a front surface of a bracket of the display and formed with a through hole. A coupling plate is mounted on the mounting frame such that the plate portion of the mounting frame is disposed between the coupling plate and the bracket. A fastening member extends through a through hole in the bracket, and the through hole in the plate portion of the mounting frame, and is fastened to the coupling plate so as to couple the bracket to the front shell.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority of Taiwanese Patent Application No.094211892, filed on Jul. 13, 2005.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a coupling device, more particularly to acoupling device for a housing of a flat panel display device.

2. Description of the Related Art

Referring to FIG. 1, a conventional flat panel display device is shownto include a front shell 1 made of plastic, and a bracket 2 made ofmetal. The front shell 1 has a rear surface formed with a plurality ofinternally threaded posts 31 (only one is shown) extending rearwardlytoward the bracket 2, and a plurality of positioning posts 32 (only oneis shown) extending rearwardly toward the bracket 2 and disposedrespectively adjacent to the threaded posts 31. The bracket 2 has aplurality of extension plates 21 (only one is shown) correspondingrespectively to the threaded posts 31 and the positioning posts 32. Eachextension plate 21 is formed with a positioning hole 211 engaging therespective positioning post 32, and a through hole 212 aligned with therespective threaded post 31. A screw fastener (not shown) extendsthrough the respective through hole 212 in the bracket 2, and engagesthreadedly the respective threaded post 31 so as to couple the bracket 2to the front shell 1. However, since the front shell 1 is formed byinjection molding, and since the positioning holes 211 and the throughholes 212 in the extension plate 21 are formed by metal pressingprocess, if an error occurs in any one of the injection molding processand the metal pressing process, each positioning hole 211 may bemisaligned with the respective positioning post 32 or each through hole212 may be misaligned with the respective threaded post 31. As such, ifthe front shell 1 and the bracket 2 are forcedly assembled together, aNewton's ring phenomenon may occur as a result of a deformed assembly ofthe front shell 1 and the bracket 2. Furthermore, a distance between thefront shell 1 and the bracket 2 may not be maintained.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a couplingdevice and a flat panel display device utilizing the same that caneliminate the aforesaid drawbacks of the prior art.

According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided acoupling device for a display housing. The display housing includes afront shell having a rear surface, and a bracket having a front surfaceand formed with a through hole. The coupling device comprises:

a mounting frame adapted to be mounted on the rear surface of the frontshell, having a plate portion adapted to be disposed adjacent to thefront surface of the bracket and formed with a through hole that isadapted to correspond to the through hole in the bracket, the mountingframe further having at least one flexible portion such that the plateportion is movable relative to the front shell along a directiongenerally parallel to the plate portion;

a coupling plate mounted on the mounting frame such that the plateportion of the mounting frame is disposed between the coupling plate andthe bracket; and

a fastening member adapted to extend through the through hole in thebracket, extending through the through hole in the plate portion of themounting frame, and fastened to the coupling plate so as to couple thebracket to the front shell.

According to another aspect of the present invention, a flat paneldisplay device comprises:

a display housing including a front shell having a rear surface, and abracket having a front surface and formed with a through hole; and

a coupling device including

-   -   a mounting frame mounted on the rear surface of the front shell,        disposed between the front shell and the bracket, and having a        plate portion disposed adjacent to the front surface of the        bracket and formed with a through hole that corresponds to the        through hole in the bracket, the mounting frame further having        at least one flexible portion such that the plate portion is        movable relative to the front shell along a direction generally        parallel to the plate portion,    -   a coupling plate mounted on the mounting frame such that the        plate portion of the mounting frame is disposed between the        coupling plate and the bracket, and    -   a fastening member extending through the through hole in the        bracket and the through hole in the plate portion of the        mounting frame, and fastened to the coupling plate so as to        couple the bracket to the front shell.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent in the following detailed description of the preferredembodiment with reference to the accompanying drawings, of which:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating how a front shelland a bracket of a conventional flat panel display device are coupledtogether;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the preferred embodiment of a flatpanel display device according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing a coupling device ofthe preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view showing the coupling device ofthe preferred embodiment;

FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing a modified mounting frame;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary schematic sectional view showing the couplingdevice of the preferred embodiment in a state of use; and

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary schematic sectional view showing the couplingdevice of the preferred embodiment in another state of use.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the preferred embodiment of a flat paneldisplay device according to the present invention is shown to include adisplay housing and four coupling devices 4.

In this embodiment, the display housing includes a larger front shell 6made of plastic, and a smaller rectangular bracket 5 made of metal. Thefront shell 6 has a rear surface 60. The bracket 5 has four extensionplates 51, each of which extends outwardly from a periphery of thebracket 5, is disposed adjacent to a respective one of four corners ofthe bracket 5, and has a front surface 510. The rear surface 60 of thefront shell 6 is formed with four sets of hollow tubular bodies 61 andpositioning posts 62 corresponding respectively to the extension plates51 of the bracket 5. The tubular body 61 and the positioning post 62 ineach set extend respectively and rearwardly toward the front surface 510of the respective one of the extension plates 51. Each extension plate51 is formed with a through hole 511 corresponding to the respectivetubular body 61, and a positioning hole 512 permitting extension of therespective positioning post 62 therethrough, as shown in FIG. 3. Eachtubular body 61 has an open end 611 (see FIG. 4).

Referring to FIGS. 4 and 5, each of the coupling devices 4 includes amounting frame 41, a coupling plate 42, a fastening member 43, and apair of engaging members 63.

For each coupling device 4, the engaging members 63 are fixed on therear surface 60 of the front shell 6 so as to define an open-endedengaging groove 6311 between the rear surface 60 of the front shell 6and each of the engaging members 63, are spaced apart from each other,and are disposed on opposite sides of a respective one of the tubularbodies 61 on the rear surface 60 of the front shell 6. In thisembodiment, each engaging member 63 is an engaging block that has aninner lateral side 631 formed with the engaging groove 6311, and aninclined guiding face 630, as shown in FIG. 4.

The mounting frame 41 is mounted on the rear surface 60 of the frontshell 6. In this embodiment, the mounting frame 41 has a plate portion411 disposed between the front surface 510 of a respective one of theextension plates 51 and the respective one of the tubular bodies 61 onthe rear surface 60 of the front shell 6 and formed with a through hole415 corresponding to the through hole 511 in the respective one of theextension plates 51, opposite flexible lateral supporting portions 412connected respectively and integrally to opposite lateral sides of theplate portion 411 and extending toward the rear surface 60 of the frontshell 6, and a pair of engaging flanges 413 extending respectively andintegrally from ends of the lateral supporting portions 412 away fromeach other and engaging respectively the engaging grooves 6311. Eachengaging flange 413 is generally U-shaped, and has two opposite sideflange portions 4131, and a middle flange portion 4132 engaging therespective one of the engaging grooves 6311 and interconnecting the sideflange portions 4131 to define a notch 4133 among the middle flangeportion 4132 and the side flange portions 4131. The engaging members 63engage respectively and fit tightly the notches 4133 in the engagingflanges 413 of the mounting frame 41 so as to position the engagingflanges 413 on the rear surface 60 of the front shell 6. In thisembodiment, the plate portion 411 has a curved section, as best shown inFIG. 5. Alternatively, the plate portion 411 can be flat, as shown inFIG. 4A. Each of the lateral supporting portions 412 has a projectingmember extending inwardly toward the other one of the lateral supportingportions 412 such that the coupling plate 42 is disposed between andadjacent to the plate portion 411 and the projecting members. In thisembodiment, each projecting member includes two projecting lugs 414disposed respectively adjacent to two opposite sides 4111, 4112 of theplate portion 411.

The coupling plate 42 is mounted on the mounting frame 41, and isdisposed between the plate portion 411 and the respective tubular body61 on the rear surface 60 of the front shell 6. In this embodiment, thecoupling plate 42 is supported on the projecting lugs 414 of the lateralsupporting portions 412, and has two opposite sides 425, 426, each ofwhich is formed with a flange 427 extending rearwardly. The plateportion 411 of the mounting frame 41 is disposed between and adjacent tothe flanges 427 such that the coupling plate 42 is positioned relativeto the plate portion 411 of the mounting frame 41. The coupling plate 42includes a central anchoring portion 421 having a first surface 423adjacent to the plate portion 411 of the mounting frame 41, and a secondsurface 422 opposite to the first surface 423 and distal from the plateportion 411 of the mounting frame 41. The anchoring portion 421 of thecoupling plate 42 is formed with a fastening hole 424 that extends fromthe first surface 423 to the second surface 422 and that has an outerdiameter smaller than the inner diameter of the respective tubular body61. In this embodiment, the fastening hole 424 has a through-holesection 4241 that extends from the first surface 423 of the anchoringportion 421 and that converges toward the second surface 422 of theanchoring portion 421, and a threaded-hole section 4242 extending fromthe second surface 422 of the anchoring portion 421 and connected to thethrough-hole section 4241.

The fastening member 43, such as a screw fastener, extends through thethrough hole 511 in the respective extension plate 51 of the bracket 5and the through hole 415 in the plate portion 411 of the mounting frame41, and is fastened to the coupling plate 42 so as to couple theextension plate 51 of the bracket 5 to the front shell 6. In thisembodiment, the fastening member 43 further extends through thethrough-hole section 4241 of the fastening hole 424 in the couplingplate 42, and engages threadedly the threaded-hole section 4242 of thefastening hole 424 in the coupling plate 42. It is noted that the plateportion 411 of the mounting frame 41 is disposed between the respectiveextension plate 51 and the coupling plate 42 so that it acts as awasher.

In such a configuration, even if there exists an error in the distancebetween the positioning hole 512 and the through hole 511 in any one ofthe extension plates 51 of the bracket 5 (i.e., for example, thedistance between the positioning hole 512 and the through hole 511 inFIG. 6 is larger than that in FIG. 5) due to an imprecise in metalpressing process forming the positioning hole 512 and the through hole511, for the corresponding coupling device 4, due to the presence of theflexible supporting portions 412, the plate portion 411 is movablerelative to the front shell 6 along a direction generally parallel tothe plate portion 411 such that the fastener member 43 can firmly engagethe fastening hole 424 in the anchoring portion 421 of the couplingplate 42 of the corresponding coupling device 4 with slight deformationof the mounting frame 41, as shown in FIG. 6. Therefore, the Newton'sring phenomenon experienced in the aforesaid conventional flat paneldisplay device can be avoided. Furthermore, while the mounting frame 41is slightly deformed, the corresponding tubular body 61 on the rearsurface 60 of the front shell 6 abuts against the coupling plate 42 soas to maintain a predetermined distance between the coupling plate 42and the rear surface 60 of the front shell 6 such that a requireddistance between the front shell 6 and the bracket 5 can be maintained.

While the present invention has been described in connection with whatis considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it isunderstood that this invention is not limited to the disclosedembodiment but is intended to cover various arrangements included withinthe spirit and scope of the broadest interpretation so as to encompassall such modifications and equivalent arrangements.

1. A coupling device for a display housing that includes a front shellhaving a rear surface, and a bracket having a front surface and formedwith a through hole, said coupling device comprising: a mounting frameadapted to be mounted on the rear surface of the front shell, having aplate portion adapted to be disposed adjacent to the front surface ofthe bracket and formed with a through hole that is adapted to correspondto the through hole in the bracket, said mounting frame further havingat least one flexible portion such that said plate portion is movablerelative to the front shell along a direction generally parallel to saidplate portion; a coupling plate mounted on said mounting frame such thatsaid plate portion of said mounting frame is disposed between saidcoupling plate and the bracket; and a fastening member adapted to extendthrough the through hole in the bracket, extending through said throughhole in said plate portion of said mounting frame, and fastened to saidcoupling plate so as to couple the bracket to the front shell.
 2. Thecoupling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said coupling plateincludes an anchoring portion having a first surface adjacent to saidplate portion of said mounting frame, and a second surface opposite tosaid first surface and distal from said plate portion of said mountingframe, said anchoring portion of said coupling plate being formed with afastening hole that extends from said first surface to said secondsurface, said fastening hole having a through-hole section that extendsfrom said first surface of said anchoring portion and that convergestoward said second surface of said anchoring portion, and athreaded-hole section extending from said second surface of saidanchoring portion and connected to said through-hole section, saidfastening member further extending through said through-hole section andengaging threadedly said threaded-hole section.
 3. The coupling deviceas claimed in claim 1, wherein said plate portion of said mounting framehas a curved section.
 4. The coupling device as claimed in claim 1,wherein said plate portion of said mounting frame is flat.
 5. Thecoupling device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said mounting framefurther includes opposite flexible lateral supporting portions connectedrespectively to opposite lateral sides of said plate portion and adaptedto extend toward the rear surface of the front shell.
 6. The couplingdevice as claimed in claim 5, wherein each of said lateral supportingportions has a projecting member extending inwardly toward the other oneof said lateral supporting portions, said coupling plate being disposedbetween and adjacent to said plate portion and said projecting membersof said lateral supporting portions.
 7. The coupling device as claimedin claim 6, wherein said projecting member of each of said lateralsupporting portions includes two projecting lugs disposed respectivelyadjacent to two opposite sides of said plate portion.
 8. The couplingdevice as claimed in claim 7, wherein said coupling plate has twoopposite sides, each of which is formed with a flange extendingrearwardly, said plate portion of said mounting frame being disposedbetween and adjacent to said flanges such that said coupling plate ispositioned relative to said plate portion of said mounting frame.
 9. Thecoupling device as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a pair ofengaging members adapted to be fixed on the rear surface of the frontshell so as to define an open-ended engaging groove between the rearsurface of the front shell and each of said engaging members, saidmounting frame further including a pair of engaging flanges extendingrespectively from ends of said lateral supporting portions away fromeach other and engaging respectively said engaging grooves.
 10. Thecoupling device as claimed in claim 9, wherein each of said engagingflanges of said mounting frame is generally U-shaped, and has twoopposite side flange portions, and a middle flange portion engaging arespective one of said engaging grooves and interconnecting said sideflange portions to define a notch among said middle flange portion andsaid side flange portions, said engaging members engaging respectivelyand fit tightly said notches in said engaging flanges of said mountingframe so as to posit-ion said engaging flanges on the rear surface ofthe front shell.
 11. A flat panel display device comprising: a displayhousing including a front shell having a rear surface, and a brackethaving a front surface and formed with a through hole; and a couplingdevice including a mounting frame mounted on said rear surface of saidfront shell, disposed between said front shell and said bracket, andhaving a plate portion disposed adjacent to said front surface of saidbracket and formed with a through hole that corresponds to said throughhole in said bracket, said mounting frame further having at least oneflexible portion such that said plate portion is movable relative tosaid front shell along a direction generally parallel to said plateportion, a coupling plate mounted on said mounting frame such that saidplate portion of said mounting frame is disposed between said couplingplate and said bracket, and a fastening member extending through saidthrough hole in said bracket and said through hole in said plate portionof said mounting frame, and fastened to said coupling plate so as tocouple said bracket to said front shell.
 12. The flat panel displaydevice as claimed in claim 11, wherein said coupling plate includes ananchoring portion having a first surface adjacent to said plate portionof said mounting frame, and a second surface opposite to said firstsurface and distal from said plate portion of said mounting frame, saidanchoring portion of said coupling plate being formed with a fasteninghole that extends from said first surface to said second surface, saidfastening hole having a through-hole section that extends from saidfirst surface of said coupling portion and that converges toward saidsecond surface, and a threaded-hole section extending from said secondsurface of said coupling portion and connected to said through-holesection, said fastening member further extending through saidthrough-hole section and engaging threadedly said threaded-hole section.13. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein saidplate portion of said mounting frame has a curved section.
 14. The flatpanel display device as claimed in claim 11, wherein said plate portionof said mounting frame is flat.
 15. The flat panel display device asclaimed in claim 11, wherein said mounting frame further includesopposite flexible lateral supporting portions connected respectively toopposite lateral sides of said plate portion and extending toward saidrear surface of said front shell.
 16. The flat panel display device asclaimed in claim 15, wherein each of said lateral supporting portionshas a projecting member extending inwardly toward the other one of saidlateral supporting portions, said coupling plate being disposed betweenand adjacent to said plate portion and said projecting members of saidlateral supporting portions.
 17. The flat panel display device asclaimed in claim 16, wherein said projecting member of each of saidlateral supporting portions includes two projecting lugs disposedrespectively adjacent to two opposite sides of said plate portion. 18.The flat panel display device as claimed in claim 17, wherein saidcoupling plate has two opposite sides, each of which is formed with aflange extending rearwardly, said plate portion of said mounting framebeing disposed between and adjacent to said flanges such that saidcoupling plate is positioned relative to said plate portion of saidmounting frame.
 19. The flat panel display device as claimed in claim15, wherein said coupling device further includes a pair of engagingmembers fixed on said rear surface of said front shell so as to definean open-ended engaging groove between said rear surface of said frontshell and each of said engaging members, said mounting frame furtherincluding a pair of engaging flanges extending respectively from ends ofsaid lateral supporting portions away from each other and engagingrespectively said engaging grooves.
 20. The flat panel display device asclaimed in claim 19, wherein each of said engaging flanges of saidmounting frame is U-shaped, and has two opposite side flange portions,and a middle flange portion engaging a respective one of said engaginggrooves and interconnecting said side flange portions to define a notchamong said middle flange portion and said side flange portions, saidengaging members engaging respectively and fit tightly said notches insaid engaging flanges of said mounting frame so as to position saidengaging flanges on said rear surface of said front shell.
 21. The flatpanel display device as claimed in claim 12, wherein said rear surfaceof said front shell is formed with a hollow tubular body extendingrearwardly toward said coupling plate for supporting said coupling plateso as to maintain a predetermined distance between said coupling plateand said rear surface of said front shell, said anchoring portion ofsaid coupling plate having an outer diameter smaller than an innerdiameter of said tubular body.